Blood Donors
Prospective, new, and experienced donors; as well as the phlebotomists and other staff involved with donation welcome!
Resources:
- Find a place to donate
- How to get involved without donating blood
- Donation intervals between different donation types at the American Red Cross
Disclaimer
The information and content found on c/blood_donors is for informational purposes only. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek advice from your physician or another qualified medical professional if you have questions or are experiencing a medical problem. Consult your physician before taking supplements or changing your diet.
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Typically donors receive paperwork from their donor center after the donation. Keep this paperwork until it is clear you will not experience negative reactions. For non-emergency medical concerns regarding your recent donation, contact your donation center.
If you are having a medical emergency, contact your doctor, go to an emergency center, or contact the emergency number for your country or area (911 in the U.S.).
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Well done!
My first platelet donation failed at 80%, still usable but a bummer. My veins are a bit too deep. Do you also get the weird taste in your mouth? So bizarre but easily fixed with a calcium lozengen.
I'll try again soon, wish me luck. Worst case I'll go back to whole blood.
My firsts had lots of infiltrations, but it seems to have stabilized, especially if we always use a specific arm as draw and other for return.
No weird taste, but I've always asked for some Tums right before donating just in case. So it is entirely possible it would happen to me if I didn't take this preventative measure.
Best wishes!
Interesting, for me it was one needle and it first drew some blood, then pumped it back in the same way. Eventually nothing came out anymore and I started to feel things vibrating up my arm so they aborted. One job for each arm could be worth a try, I'll ask them about it next time.